Queen awards accessories designer Beatrix Ong with MBE

Beatrix Ong, the global luxury accessories designer, has been bestowed the honour, Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) on Her Majesty The Queen's 2011 New Year's Honours List for services to the fashion industry.

Beatrix Ong, commented  “I feel delighted and humbled to be recognised for this honour. I love what I do, and this has come as such a lovely surprise and a wonderful start to the year!”

Beatrix Ong, now just 34 years old, launched her eponymous line in 2002 and was quickly credited as one of the Top 10 Leading Shoe Designers alongside Manolo Blahnik and Patrick Cox by The Independent. Ong has collaborated with Nike, customising the Nike iD Blazer Trainers, and Globe-Trotter, creating a luxury limited edition luggage range. In 2008, a stylish new menswear line, Ong London, was added to the portfolio.

2010 saw the opening of the new Beatrix Ong flagship boutique in Chelsea, the re-launch of Ong’s transactional website: www.beatrixong.com and an invitation to become an honorary liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Cordwainers (one of the City of London’s most historic and long-established livery companies), denoting Ong's achievements in the craft of footwear.

Beatrix Ong's luxurious accessories have been endorsed by some of the world's most celebrated stars including: Sienna Miller, Thandie Newton and Quentin Tarantino.

Congratulations!

Prada opens its first store in Perth Australia

Prada is opening its first monobrand store in Perth, Australia on the city's sophisticated Hay street.

Designed by architect Roberto Baciocchi who has been actively designing for all the brands of the company including Miu Miu and Church's, the two-floor 250 square metres store, will definitely become one of the city's fashion hotspots as it houses the Prada collections of Ready-to-Wear,bags, accessories and footwear for both men and women.

The historic building that the store is situated in evokes a sense of nostalgia and harmoniously integrates with the environment inside of the shop that is aesthetically alluring yet rich and sophisticated. If you are a Prada fan (and who isn't) the store is exactly what you would expect from the Italian fashion powehouse,fabulous high-fashion meets elegant and glamorous.

By Andreas Menelaou Features Assistant

The Sartorialist goes on film

Having documented street fashion for such a long time, the Sartorialist Scott Schumann now gets his own short documentary.

Intel have followed around the street-style photographer ,giving him a taste of his own medicine,to create a short film documenting the life of the man behind the camera and interrogated him about every aspect of his life.

Have a look at the very inspiring 7 minute video, of the photographer who managed to predict a riot and change the way the fashion world and everyone else for that matter, look at street fashion.

If you think that you are as good as Scott Schumann, then have a look at our facebook page for something that might be of interest to you!

By Andreas Menelaou Features Assistant

Katie Eary needs no introduction

We know how everyone is sitting at the edge of their seats waiting for the big show to start,but before we start reviewing the new collections there is one particular designer that we are dying to see what she,yes it's a girl,comes up with this time around.

Katie Eary took the fashion world by storm when she launched her first collection for Fall 2009 and if by now you've never heard of Eary, then we are sure that the last time you purchased a decent men's fashion publication, Victoria Beckham was only pregnant with her 3rd child.

What puts Katie Eary in a completely different league than all the other virtually new menswear designers is her attention to detail, as everything is bespoke and handmade by the designer herself with top-quality unsurpassed materials including wool,brass and leather.

Her adroit manipulation of prints,materials and fabrics blends perfectly with her artistic inventiveness and  exceptionally skillfull design techniques.Having already translated her own dexterity to a limited capsule line for mega e-tailer Asos,brought sportswear company Lonsdale back to fashion light and with four buzz-filled successful collections under her belt, Eary looks set to become even bigger than some people have already predicted.

For her Spring/Summer 2011 collection,advertently titled "Velvet Machine", the designer teamed up with photographer Thomas Lohr and director Dean Mayo Davies to create a story telling lookbook showcasing what could be a magnificently raw but put-together, real British mentality shoot.

By Andreas Menelaou Features Assistant

See more amazing images from the lookbook after the jump

DIOR HOMME Film by Kris Van Assche

Could this be the short film of the year?

Creative Director of Dior Homme, Kris Van Assche has collaborated with Belgian photographer Willy Vanderperre to create an immaculately unpolished video, featuring his work for the fashion house's Spring/Summer 2011 collection.

The film, titled "The Time I Had Some Time Alone", features model Victor Nylander wearing Dior Homme signature pieces that express the craftmanship and aesthetic that designer Kris Van Assche cultured for the iconic fashion house.Van Assche is known for his rough destructuring of classic cuts and silhouettes and fierce embodiment of couture in comercial, ready-to-wear pieces.

The film marks the first venture of the power fashion brand in digital and new media, indicating that they are moving forward with time and appreciating the effect blogs and on-line media have, on contributing high fashion to the masses.

By Andreas Menelaou Features Assistant

Carhartt USA x Adam Kimmel exclusive images

Our new contributors Modern Man's Emancipation recently informed us about the upcoming collaboration between workwear brand Carhartt USA and American designer Adam Kimmel, when they posted the following:

"Carhartt the brand known for its jeans and durable clothing has teamed up with menswear designer Adam Kimmel to launch a new project/collaboration that sounds very promising! Carhartt has previously collaborated with French brand A.P.C and the end result was an exceptionally designed basic workwear capsule collection."

Now, 7thMan Magazine has exclusive images from the "Rough Riders-esque" lookbook of the first collaboration of the two brands, that will be unveiled this week at Pitti Uomo in Florence.

"The launch collection encompasses 29 pieces, including outerwear, jeans, plaid flannel shirts and pants in moleskin or cotton twill. Accessories in the line include a duffel and tote bag as well as cotton cashmere beanies. Retail prices will range from $70 to $600. "

The Carhartt x Adam Kimmel line will be sold exclusively in Barneys New York,Colette in Paris, Dover Street Market in London and other very exclusive boutiques in USA and the rest of the world. 

See more exclusive images featuring a motorcycle gang after the jump

By Andreas Menelaou Features Assistant

I think we might have "issues" - 7thMan Must Have

Here at 7thMan we have this undeniable passion for anything that looks remotely vintage or was secretly designed to resemble the vintage aesthetic, so it was no brainer that we were going to fall utterly and totally in love with this amazing leather jacket.

Izzue (apparently pronounced issue) is a brand so well known and successful in Asia that are now taking a big step and are launching their emblem of luxe individualism in our neck of the woods.They design special pieces for the youth on the brink of adulthood for both men and women and have stayed true to the ideology of casual chic.

Playing with proportions and produced with the finest leather,the jacket features double front pockets, a slimmer fit than an actual field leather jacket and is priced at £595.00.

Izzue will be available soon at Harrods but if you think you can't wait, have a look at their website for more products and info at www.izzue.com.

Words by Andreas Menelaou Features Assistant

Prada gets Personal

Do you guys speak Prada?We certainly do!

Now Prada will let you do the talking with their Made To Order “Lettering” service, exclusively on prada.com and in 12 key Prada stores around the world.

The idea behind this exclusive service by the Italian fashion house is to apply your own  unique personal touch with the attachment of multicoloured initials on each and every one of your favourite travel bags, backpacks, trolleys and shopping bags.

The service will be available from January 15^th at Prada.com and at select boutiques in Milan, Rome, Paris, London, Monaco, New York, Tokyo, Nagoya, Hong Kong, Beijing and Hong Kong.

Words by Andreas Menelaou Features Assistant

Want a first look at the Balmain S/S'11 Lookbook?

We are just days away before the menswear shows for A/W 2011-12 will kick-off in Milan and Paris but we still haven't managed to enjoy the previous shows for what they deserve.

For Spring/Summer 2011, Balmain's creative director Christophe Decarnin gave justice to the Balmain man as a rock god that all women love, showing the world that his womenswear designs are actually based on the Balmain man groupies.Well we might be overexaggerating but the collection is actually inspired by rock idols who had groupies falling all over them, worshipping the ground they walked on - in a more contemporary version.

Leather biker jackets,tight ripped and silver jeans,fitted blazers and a buckload of American attitude designed with the best materials in the business, made up the cohesive collection a must-have for our next summer's wardrobe.

The lookbook was shot by photographer Karim Sadli and you get the first look of all the shots just after the jump.

By Andreas Menelaou Features Assistant

Images courtesy of Balmain

Eleven Paris showcase their new collection on video

Eleven Paris Spring/Summer 11 from eleven paris on Vimeo.

Eleven Paris, is an urban chic brand that combines the design aesthetic of Parisian high-fashion(all work is designed in Paris) with street culture, to create beautifully-made & unique wearable clothes including cool denim jeans  and rock graphic tees.

For Spring/Summer 2011 the brand decided to create a video look-book to showcase their new collection and it features none other than male model Ash Stymest(known for his work with Hedi Slimane) and rockstar offspring Zoe Kravitz.

Inspired by global street fashion with a lot of rock references, the brand has gained worldwide praise and many a celebrity following and is stocked in superstores Selfridges, Therapy and Mensroom.

By Andreas Menelaou Features Assistant

Dr.Martens Satchel for Spring/Summer'11

We all have a pair of Dr.Martens somewhere in our closet.For some is still an integral part of their everyday outfit and others have chosen to upgrade their casual boots to a fantastic pair of suede brogues.

For Spring/Summer 2011, Dr.Martens have collaborated with a small team of saddlery specialists in London to create the Dr.Martens School Satchel. Boasting years of saddlery experience, the collaborators for the Dr.Martens satchels,granted the collection an effortless design, influenced heavely from the creative heritage of the brand.

Using the same leather used on the prestigious "Made in England" rage, the exquisite satchel is available in 5 classic Dr.Martens colours,black,cherry red,navy,white and green the number of school satchels is limited to only 350 across all colours worldwide.

By Andreas Menelaou Features Assistant

 

Raphael Hauber's Spring/Summer'11 collection

Raphael Hauber is not new to designing or to the fashion industry but to be fair he is not old either. Hauber has been around for a few years under the name of Postweiler Hauber but this is only his second season under his full name.

For his Spring/Summer 2011 collection, the German designer examines the effect several pictures have when viewed through a kaleidoscope.

Predominantly playing with the feeling of isolation and loneliness, the designer uses the kaleidoscopic prints of empty staircases and pictures of both a male and a female face on sheer schiffon t-shirts and lightweight denim trousers mirroring structure and symmetry or complete distortion for that matter.

Even though the muted palette of colours is elevated with the flashy apricot dash, the nostalgic mood does not change in its entirety, as the bright colour represents escape exits from this imaginary empty world created by the talented designer.

We have to admit that we love the structural jackets and the colours,the combination of aqua, blue and apricot looks beautiful for next summer!

Now if only we could get our hands on it!

By Andreas Menelaou Features Assistant

See the full collection after the jump

Jaeger unveils their new suit silhouette

 Jaeger understands the importance of a fine silhouette, moreover it appreciates that a suit can make a man or a work hard-play hard kind of man.

For Spring/Summer 2011,the heritage brand’s key sartorial message is the refinement of silhouette across both suiting and shirting.

Stuart Stockdale, Jaeger's Design Director introduced to 7thMan their new, neater silhouette, and its attention to detail. “ From the suit proportion itself to each individual aspect, from lapel to shirt, collar and shoulder to trouser shape. This is designed to create a completely modern and contemporary suiting look” .

The new contemporary suit block is a modern update on Jaeger’s well known tailoring.From a slimmer jacket waist to sleek trousers with narrower and shorter hem and shirting with details that could compare to a made-to-measure allure,Jaeger’s new silhouette offering is definitely not just an afterthought.

Capturing the essence of their younger customer, the suits look sharp & stylish and can easily be transformed into a casual evening outfit!

By Andreas Menelaou Features Assistant

See more images of the suits after the jump

Levi's® Launches Footwear Line

True to Levi's workwear heritage and image, this new footwear line due to launch this February will make the perfect addition to your wardrobe. Consisting of a neutral palette and constructed from the finest leather and suede, key styles include the Hobcap Worker Boot, Crepe Bellow Desert Shoe and The Forbrog Boot.

A solution to many a sartorial equation.

A pair of shoes can destruct an impeccably put together outfit simply by not being offered enough consideration by the wearer - loafers with jeans, sandals with suit trousers and the tragic list continues.

This risk will be lessened considerably come January 15 - 18 2011 [not long now!] when Jimmy Choo are set to re-launch their men's collection in conjunction with Milan fashion week, this will be the first time in 9 years that the prestigious footwear company has dabbled in the men's market - so a significant honour to young, elegant men all over the world.

According to the LA Times blog the collection will feature, dress shoes, biker boots, moccasins and sneakers - a pair for each occasion perfectly solving the common conundrum of what shoes go with what.

And look, not a moccasin in sight.

Paul Costelloe Man Unveils Exclusive Pop Up Shop and Limited Edition Catwalk Collection for LFW

For only 2 weeks, from 18th February 2011, Paul Costelloe Man will be offering the chance to own exclusive pieces from the Paul Costelloe Man catwalk collection in conjunction with John Lewis.

Launching directly after Paul Costelloe's opening show at LFW, Paul Costelloe will be in attendance to open an exclusive pop up shop in John Lewis' flagship, Oxford Street store.

The first collection of it's kind, the Costelloe Catwalk collection is a 25 piece capsule of garments from the SS11 Paul Costelloe Man catwalk show that opened LFW for the SS11 season. There will be only 10 pieces of each garment available across a selected size range. These will be the only 10 ever to be made worldwide and each will be individually numbered 1 to 10, so every customer will know they own a unique item, never to be reproduced.

Alfred Dunhill retreats to the Mother Land

Alfred Dunhill has confirmed that he will show his AW11 collection entitled 'Home' at London Fashion Week during their shows in February.

His showcase will be in conjunction with the Capitals increasingly luxurious Men's Day which has closed the LFW proceedings for four seasons now.

Dunhill's showcase - as you can imagine - is far removed from the usual make shift runway in a tent, and is being held in Dunhill's free standing 18th Century Mayfair Mansion: Bourdon House which will add an incredible edge of prestige to his highly anticipated presentation.

This presentation will bring close LFW on February 22nd. This bit of news is sure to propell LFW's menswear day into an even higher realm of critical acclaim.

D:U:M Idea

It's been a whole decade since Diesel launched D:U:M, a yearly unsigned music talent awards and worldwide support network with some of the most exciting new artists, labels, radio stations, journalists and producers linked world-over. Over the years, D:U:M has consistently being growing and evolving-tying in the label's recent BE STUPID campaign to include a battle of the bands style competition, but with the twist being that the fan takes centre stage.

This year D:U:M has been working extra hard to support the best new emerging bands in honor of its tenth anniversary and have decided to end this year in style. Teaming up with their favourite bands-The Invisible, Crystal Fighters and Delorean, they shall be offering customers a series of exclusive free music remixes. So if you buy a pair of Diesel jeans between 7th and 24th of December you will recieve two free tracks by the bands, remixed by names such as Gatto Frito and Etienne Jaumet, all brand new and unique to D:U:M.

7th Man Gift Guide

Christmas is just around the corner so we've compiled our wish-list of luxurious gifts this season:

Uniform Wares 102 Wrist Watch: £100

Add a splash of colour to your Christmas outfit this season with this sleek horological wonder. Inspired by the form and graphic detailing of wall clocks from British industry, this timepiece is available in nine bold colourways and features a machined aircraft grade aluminium case, 3ATM water resistance, a PU rubber strap and precision Japanese made quartz movement.

Available From Oki-Ni

Paul Smith Union Jack Key Fob: £55

Never again will an element of dullness be associated with the humble set of keys with this designer key fob of a considerable patriotic disposition. Touting a vintage crushed Union Jack design, may you never lose sight of your keys again!

Available from Matches

Marcus Oakley Screen Print: £250

Brighten up your bedroom wall with this bold colourful concoction of quirky characters by Marcus Oakley. As a limited edition piece, this screen print would make the perfect contemporary accompaniment to any burgeoning art enthusiast's collection.

From Jaguar Shoes Collective, Available At Jaguar Shoes and No-One.

J.W. Anderson Festival Boot : £1930

The J.W. Anderson Festival Boot may be from the S/S 11 collection and are hardly the most practical of footwear to stomp around the snow in, but with their shimmering Swarovski Crystal embedded toes evoking a certain festive spirit, we can't help but crave a pair this Christmas.

Available From Oki-Ni

Burberry Prorsum Washed Leather Satchel: £750
With plenty of weekend get-aways in store this Yueltide season, this classic Burberry Prorsum Satchel is the perfect functional yet utterly stylish accessory to tout all your holiday essentials.

Complete with thick handles, zip top, buckle detailing and signature Burberry check fabric lining, this bag takes luxury to sophisticated new heights.

Available From Matches

Lanvin Cufflinks

Understated and effortlessly cool, Lanvin's black onyx and mother of pearl interchangeable cufflinks will add a touch of refinement to any office ensemble this season.

Available From Matches

Baxter Of California Shave Kit 1-2-3: £68

Update your shaving routine for the new year with this complete box of grooming products from Carter and Bond. Offering 10% off the regular combined price of £76 for all three items, the gift box includes the Travel Shaving Brush, Super Close Formula Shave Cream and After Shave Balm.

Available From Carter and Bond

Dr. Martens' Party In Leeds

Following on from their incredible 50th birthday celebrations in London's Village Underground, Dr. Martens are heading up north to Leeds to throw one hell of a party in conjunction with the opening of their new retail store there. Taking place at the Vox from 9pm to 3am, the party has one incredible line-up and is definitely one you won't want to miss!

To register for tickets, click here.